Wendell Barnhouse is a nationally-known and respected columnist who has spent over 20 years covering collegiate athletics. He has reported from 25 Final Fours and more than three dozen bowl games and has written about the Big 12 and its schools since the conference's beginning. Barnhouse will be updating the Big 12 Insider on happenings and behind-the-scenes information about the conference.

ESPN.com's Andy Katz, in his daily 3-Point Shot
feature, adds some perspective to what's happened for Kansas State coach Bruce
Weber over the last year:

Kansas State coach Bruce Weber has
quite the emotional year. Just think a year ago he was coaching Illinois toward
the end of the season and knew that his job was likely over in Champaign. A
year later, Kansas State is tied with Kansas in the loss column atop the Big 12
with a game against TCU at home Tuesday and at Oklahoma State Saturday. The
Wildcats would lose a tiebreaker to Kansas if the two teams are tied at the end
of the weekend since KU swept Kansas State. Still, regardless of what occurs in
the seeding or race for first and second, it has been quite a turnaround for
Weber. I can't remember a coach who has gone from one extreme to another in
just one season. Weber's coaching was never in question. The Illini needed a
new voice and he needed a fresh start. This couldn't have worked out any better
for him. He has only coached in small college towns so moving to Manhattan was
no problem. Weber wouldn't have done as well being idle for a year. He got an
opportunity and made sure it was maximized.